Glued Together
by DaisukeKun
Summary: When Gaara finds out the unexpected care of another boy, his appreciation will soon be beyond simply just that. However, there's much more to the reality of it all... Gaara/Naruto, Gaara/? - Yaoi.
1. Optimism

I finally decided to write a new story. I'll try to find time to update. I kind of took away the whole "ninja" aspect of the original creation of "Naruto", as it was easier to write this without that in it. Anyways, I of course (**Disclaimer:**) **do not own "Naruto."** Reviews help motivate me to update sooner, just putting that out there. Enjoy!

**Chapter One: _Optimism_**

The lustrous reflection of the luminous rays of sunlight glazed over the river's surface, creating a sheet of brilliance over the image of the boy in the water. The serene current slightly distorted the mirrored image as it flowed peacefully towards the western direction. The boy was reluctant to come into contact with the chilly grasp of the water, although he admired its beauty indefinitely. Mesmerized by the beauty, the young boy sat motionless as his mind drifted into his subconscious mind, daydreaming about various things that he was likely not to ever have. He smiled unknowingly to himself as his imagination freely explored the euphoric thoughts where his loneliness was nonexistent.

His abrasive attitude proved to award him with little popularity, although it seemed to others that he wanted it no other way. He was quite odd in his ways; he carried a sense of pessimism in his daily life. His messy red hair and the blackened mark around his eyes emphasized his apathetic life. The mark on his forehead seemed to contrast his attitude, love with carelessness. Although unknown to everyone, he carried a strenuous mask to hide his own weaknesses, failing to place his trust in anyone. He soon dozed off, too absorbed in his thoughts for his mind to resurface back to consciousness.

The giant cherry blossom tree wavered under the slight breeze as it whispered by, inducing the shivering of the young boy nearby. He awoke to the moonlit evening, the incandescence created a layer of paleness over the boy's skin, accentuating the smoothness of it. As he sat up, he realized that a tangerine colored jacket was placed effortlessly on him, the reason for the little warmth he had. Too dazed to think twice about it, he tightened the jacket he had around himself, hoping that it would help further alleviate the chilliness of dusk; however, it proved to have a limited effect in warming the body. Giving up, he flung his shoulder bag over his shoulder and treaded slowly alongside the glistening river towards his own house.

His house sat alone in the edge of the city, creaking softly in the wind. The space was quite small but it was quite decent for the little money he had. He forcibly pushed the door open, the lack of lubrication in the hinges often made it difficult when entering the house. He softly placed his bag on the kitchen table, covering all the bills addressed to _Gaara_. He slowly dragged himself up the wooden stairs as it creaked with each step, and collapsed on the comfortable bed in his room, falling asleep again almost immediately.

The piercing sound of the alarm clock drummed into his ear at the first light of dawn. The sunlight was just flickering into the night sky when the dreary Gaara exposed his left arm to the morning cold in order to stop the screaming from the machine. "Stupid, crappy alarm clock," he muttered to himself as he pulled the covers over his head. "It's fucking Saturday." The momentary silence after shutting off the alarm clock was interrupted by another piercing noise.

"Gaara-kun!" Temari's voice dragged on, unexpectedly ecstatic and cheerful at the break of dawn.

"What are you doing here at six in the morning Temari?" Gaara rebuked her for her naïve actions. "Why are you so energetic today? It isn't like you."

"What's with that attitude?" She scowled. "Don't tell me you forgot that it's your birthday."

"So what? I don't feel like celebrating it. Let me sleep."

"You're so arrogant!" She lifted the blanket and threw it on the side, revealing the red haired boy underneath, still fully clothed from last night. Her voice softened as she caught a glimpse of Gaara. "When did you get a new jacket?"

Gaara stared blankly at Temari. He unzipped the orange garment and examined it, a perplex expression on his face. "I don't remember ever receiving a new jacket..." Gaara paused, thinking back to the previous day, "I don't remember wearing it to the river yesterday…"

"From what I know of you, you probably fell asleep again there didn't you?" His older sister appeared to be scolding him for his mistakes again, "you can easily catch a cold you know! I'm not always here to visit you and to help cure your pain."

"I don't need you to care so much for me," Gaara replied coldly, annoyed by Temari's lecture.

"Of course you don't." She smiled, contrasting her serious mood a mere few minutes earlier. "It seems like you have someone else."

Gaara's perplex expression reappeared on his face. "What are you implying?"

"Isn't it obvious? The jacket most likely came from someone who cared enough to leave it with you so you wouldn't get sick sleeping in the chilly night."

"Impossible," Gaara grunted back, "I don't know anyone who would do any of the sorts."

"Good luck finding your secret admirer then! Meet me and Kankuro later ok? We have to do something as siblings to celebrate your birthday, unless you have other plans with a special someone." She teased him, smiling.

"I'll see you guys later." He replied emotionless as he headed to the bathroom, closing the door louder than intended behind him.

Gaara always loathed the water, although it was inevitable at times such as when he needed to shower. He refused to use the traditional ways of either using the shower head or bathing in a tub of water. He stripped off the scarlet colored t-shirt that fit snugly around him, followed by his black colored pants which enclosed his slender legs. The naked Gaara then filled a cylindrical container with lukewarm water and placed it on the bottom of the bathtub. Taking a dry towel, he dipped it into the liquid, brushing himself gently with the dampened cloth. Drops of water trailed the white cloth, causing mild discomfort for the hydrophobic boy. Although he was keen to not place excess water into contact with his skin, his mind was wandering elsewhere, reminiscing about the words his sister had implied jocularly. '_The jacket most likely came from someone who cared enough to leave it with you so you wouldn't get sick sleeping in the chilly night.'_ He pondered whether or not there would be someone outside his family that cared for him, but he shook the thought out of his head. It was unlikely anyone from the area of Konoha, Japan, would approach him that way.

As soon as he had finished cleansing his entire body, he dressed himself in a cool grey turtle neck and dark, skinny jeans from his speculation of the frozen windows around the house. He threw on a beige jacket over himself, the mysterious orange one lay neatly at the end of his bed. He made his way slowly down the wooden stairs, disregarding the familiar creaking noise. The contrasting color of the white plastic bag caught his attention. He paced over curiously and unpacked the contents of the bag. The saran-wrapped rice ball squished softly in his hand, the sogginess of it made it unappetizing to eat. '_Temari, why do you bother cooking?' _He sighed, losing his appetite for breakfast and headed out into the chilly environment outside.

By the time Gaara had stepped a foot outside the coziness of his home, the sun had already casted its illuminating beauty in the sky. The soft rose color was starting to dissipate as the yellow color soon dominated the sky. It was too early to be finding his siblings, although there was no point in dwelling around in boredom at home. He treaded along aimlessly, without a set destination in mind. The glistening moistness of the grass glazed over Gaara's runners, creating a shiny exterior coating. He soon unconsciously found himself arriving at the place of wonderment in which he usually resided to isolate himself with the world, giving him time and space for his mind to wander without worries. However, the shivering breeze was clouded by anxiety as the crouched down, careful not to touch the damp grass. '_Did I expect to find someone here? Do I really believe that someone actually randomly cared for me? How immature of me…_' The rustling of a khaki-shaded rabbit interrupted his thoughts, bringing his attention away from his weary thoughts. He unconsciously found himself smiling as the animal curiously ran over to his feet. The rustling repeated, except this time it caused Gaara's eyebrows to contract confusingly as he stared at the animal which was still standing in one spot. He turned around to examine the mysteriously mimicking noise, only to find something he would least expect to.

A young boy that appeared to be of his age stared back at him, wonderment apparent in his ocean-blue eyes. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt, which was quite odd as it was chilly outside. He let out a slight smile as he realized that Gaara was strangely staring at him, hoping to ease the awkwardness that had already been established between them. The boy jogged up to Gaara, his golden-yellow hair vividly danced as he moved.

"Hey! I was hoping I would run into someone here," the blond-haired boy spoke with enthusiasm and much louder than what was needed. Gaara's silence enticed him to continue, "Erm…I'm looking for my jacket; have you seen it?"

"Jacket? What would a jacket of yours be doing up here, in the middle of the wild?" Gaara replied coldly, not wanting to believe his 'irrational' thoughts.

"Oh, really…my jacket was left here last night though. Well, if you find it, it belongs to me." With a questioning look on his face, the boy turned away and walked back the way he came.

"Wait!" The boy stopped and turned around as Gaara's voice projected past him. "What color is it?"

"Orange," replied the boy, walking away as he spoke.

Gaara practically broke the door off its hinges as he hastily entered his house, perspiration evidently streaming down his skin from the run back. He rushed up the ancient staircase, almost eradicating the wooden stairs. His lungs expanded repeatedly, gasping for oxygen beyond its capacity, as he paused outside his room door. '_Is this really happening? Am I really getting all excited over such a miniscule façade of hope?'_ He slowly turned the handle and revealed the compact room that contained minimal bedroom necessities. The only exciting object in the entire room lay on his bed. Gaara couldn't help but to smile as he realized that everything that had happened was indeed part of reality. _'So there really is someone…' _He tried not to sound desperate with himself but the fact was so overwhelming since he seemed like he was destined to be alone.

Gaara unfolded the orange jacket and felt its soft, slightly silky surface. '_I should probably give this back to him…' _He folded the jacket again, only this time he felt a paper-like object in the right pocket, something he had left undetected before. His curiosity dominated his sense of righteousness, and so he reached in, only to find a piece of ordinary lined paper, the scribbles were noticeable at the edge of the folded item. He unfolded the note and couldn't stop himself from reading it, as he wanted to know more of the blond boy.

_Hey Naruto! I need your help for something tomorrow. Stop by my house sometime tomorrow then okay? It won't take long, I know how impatient you are, so you don't have to worry. If you're thinking about refusing this offer already, well then, I'll give you something that you can't refuse. My treat on your favorite ramen in town after we're done! Don't be late, see you at 9. Remember, January 18 at 9am!_

_-Kiba_

'_January 18…that was yesterday! He must have stopped by after meeting up with this other guy and that's when he gave me his jacket…' _Gaara thought of the only logical situation. He glanced back at the note. "Naruto…" he whispered under his breath, the boy which had cared for him. Gaara smiled to himself, his newfound appreciation for the blond created a feeling of happiness inside him, something he hadn't felt in a very long time.


	2. Acquaintance

Sorry for the late update; I had a lot of things going on. Happy late holiday everyone :). Hope all of you continue to enjoy this story!

**Chapter Two: Acquaintance**

"You're late!" Temari whined, her ecstatic attitude still evident although it had dimmed a bit. She gave a small pout and looked away as if expecting an apology.

"You should be happy I came at all," responded Gaara coldly, obviously showing no concern towards his sister's complaint. "What are we doing today anyways?"

"We're going to…" she hesitated before continuing, "to eat for now. I've saved us reservations at the Korean barbeque restaurant that you like. We even ordered a cake and everything!"

"When did I say I liked that restaurant? I think it's more of you wanting to see that boy with the ponytail. He goes there often with his overweight friend and that other girl right?" Gaara let out a small smile at his discovery, knowing quite well of Temari's defensive reaction.

"Let's just go. It won't be that bad Gaara." Kankuro interjected into the conversation before things fired up. Gaara grunted, somewhat disappointed at his ruined fun, and followed his brother's trail as he walked slowly.

The air was still crisp and cool, which was interrupted by the almost choking warmth of the building when Kankuro opened the wooden door. The mix scent of roasted meat and tainted air of alcohol accompanied the sudden heat. The building wasn't especially crowded, although there were a significant number of people enjoying their time. A waiter kindly greeted Temari as if he was an old acquaintance and immediately directed her to the reserved seat. Gaara smirked and teased her as they walked to their table. "You're here pretty often are you, judging from the familiarity between you and that waiter." Temari shot him a dissatisfied glare. "Shut up," she commanded, although this only made Gaara's grin more prominent. He was determined to continue with his assumption about Temari's infatuation of Shikamaru. The three siblings sat down on the cushioned seats, Temari and Kankuro on one side facing Gaara on the other; they had always seated themselves accordingly.

The waiter stood patiently as they took their jackets off and laid them nearly in the corner where the seat met the wall. Gaara stared at the grill in the center of the table which sat idly as if waiting for a spark to set it alive.

"What can I get for you today?" The waiter smiled, waiting for an answer from the group. His white dress shirt creased as his hand steadied with a pen in one hand and a notebook in the other.

"We'll be using the grill today," she pointed to the darkened square object in the middle of the table, "so bring a variety of raw meat."

"Make sure you bring more beef," Kankuro added. He looked at Gaara who was still mindlessly staring away from them, showing no intentions of adding anything himself. Kankuro shrugged and sat back.

"Would you like the vegetable soup today?" He looked at Temari as he tucked the notepad and pen into the front pocket of his apron. She looked at him and as if she couldn't resist; she casually said "sure." Gaara's attention refocused back into consciousness as he smirked at Temari. She caught his gaze and repeated her previous reaction to his teasing. "Shut up. I don't come here _that_ often." Gaara ignored her arrogance. "You must be disappointed since he's not here today."

She scowled at his comment. "You're being rather odd today. You never make jokes or smile at anything. I thought you would be in an exceptionally bad mood after this morning. What's lightened your mood so much?"

Gaara gave her an irritated look. She had seen through him. He grunted and dropped the conversation altogether. Temari looked at him, displeased at his response but did not want to make the tension any worse. The three remained quiet for a while. The plate of raw meat did not take long to arrive. The rose colored slices of meat were soon sizzling on the open grill; a pungent smell of beef filled their nostrils as the pink color faded into a chestnut brown.

Garaa was not as enthusiastic about eating as the other two, but he grabbed a small amount with his chopsticks and chewed slowly, not participating in the conversation Temari and Kankuro were having. As usual, his mind wandered off as he thought about things his mind would normally venture away from. A blond teenager was laughing happily with them and a genuine smile of cheerfulness could be seen on Garaa's face. The boy sat very close to him, near enough to make Garaa's heart beat faster than normal. The blond haired boy turned to him and gave a tender smile, before resting his head on his shoulders. Gaara blushed as the boy scooted closer to him, snuggling himself nearer.

"Why is your face so red?" Garaa's fabrication of a better life faded at the sound of Temari's interrogative tone. She could not resist but to continue on. "Could it be that special someone?" She winked slyly at him and he scowled back at her.

"What special someone?" Kankuro asked as he engulfed a piece of beef.

"Gaara has a secret admirer."

Kankuro coughed, choking on the piece of meat. "A what? Who would be interested in Gaara?" he sputtered out, ignoring the stern gaze from Gaara.

"Someone cares for our little Gaara here," Temari went on. "Someone gave him a jacket to keep him from the cold when he fell asleep in the field at night."

"Really?" Kankuro said shockingly. "Who is she?"

As the two of them were mesmerized by the newsworthy topic, Gaara caught sight of a boy in a light blue t-shirt who was about to leave the restaurant. The boy was waving dramatically to his comrades who were still enjoying their meal. The golden blond spikes protruding from the top of his head stood firmly into place. A browned haired boy, who was wearing a grey hooded jacket was waving back. He seemed to have an apologetic expression on his face. The white dog beside him had its own chair and barked incessantly, adding more noise to the place.

"Naruto…" Gaara muttered under his breath.

"Who?" Kankuro asked, surprised by the sudden conversational sound from Gaara.

"Nothing. I have to go. I, err, just remembered that I forgot to lock the door on my way here. I'll be right back." Gaara hastily jumped out of his seat and followed the boy who had disappeared behind the wooden doors.

"It is a girl right?" he heard Kankuro ask Temari as he headed for the exit.

The air outside was starting to get warm and it was not much of a sudden change in temperature as it was before. The solid doors banged shut behind him and he spotted Naruto on the opposite side of the street, which was moderately busy. Cars were constantly commuting to their destinations without much delay as the next traffic light was nowhere near the particular area. The sidewalks on either side were rather populous – people were walking in either directions and visiting the various stores and other buildings. The fact that most of the stores on the opposite side of where Gaara stood were clothing stores was noticeable, even from the other side of the street. If it wasn't for Naruto's eccentric blond hair, he would have blended in with the crowd and would be inconspicuous to Gaara's eyes.

He did not hesitate to follow after the other boy. His eyes darted back and forth between traffic and Naruto as he made his way through the malignant pavement where the vehicles did not slow down for him. His illegal adventure awarded him with dirty looks from the drivers and numerous honks from the passing cars, but he had made it safely to the other side without much difficulty. He swerved past his own traffic of pedestrians, trying to catch up to the other boy. Despite his efforts, he was still considerable distant from Naruto, but he kept pursuing, eyes locked upon his target. The other boy escaped onto the adjacent street as he turned the corner. Gaara jogged apprehensively after the boy, fearful of losing him. He edged around the corner and his golden haired angel had dissipated, nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd of people. Gaara scouted his surroundings and not a strand of yellow was seen in the sea of black and the occasional brown.

He paced forward, further down the street. He walked past an alleyway. On either side, the towering buildings acted as opaque barriers, preventing the light of the sun from shining through. Out of an unexplainable curiosity, he briefly peered inside the dim passage. There wasn't much of a point as the lack of light prevented much to be seen, which is the reason why he had not seen the source of the force that threw him against the wall. The spontaneous movement did not allow time for Gaara to react, and he could not break free from the grasp that held him. His eyes had not adjusted and he could not make out the person that held him there.

"Why are you following me?" A interrogative, almost snarling voice spoke as Gaara struggled for freedom.

"Who are you?"

"I should be asking you that question."

Gaara remained silent, bemused by the odd confrontation. His heart pounded as the scent of his oppressor reached his realization. '_That doesn't smell like someone who would attack me.' _The smell was humane and fresh. It smelt good and calmed the agitation in his heart.

"I don't know who you are, but I wasn't following you. I was just looking for a blond haired boy because I needed to tell him something," Gaara confessed uneasily to the stranger.

The grip that held him loosened. Gaara took this opportunity to escape. He attempted to dash towards the luminescence that would have led him out of the alley. He knew that it would not be as simple as that. A hand gingerly grabbed his wrist. Gaara stopped short. It was not because of force that held him into place this time, but the mystifying puzzle of the gentle touch. The sound of footsteps echoed in the small enclosed area followed by a compelling pull that led him to the sunlight. As his eyes adjusted back to the light, blue dazzling eyes stared into his own.

"Naruto…?" Gaara said, astonished by the person who stood in front of him. The trademark of yellow blond hair made it certain to Gaara that this was him.

"How did you know my name?" Naruto's tone was no longer interrogative, but friendly while carrying a hint of suspicion.

"Oh, I k-kind of read the note in your jacket." '_Since when did I stutter? Why am I suddenly nervous in front of this person?'_

There was a slight hiatus in the conversation before Naruto spoke, his excited tone back in his voice. "Hey! You're that boy that I talked to earlier about my jacket! I thought you didn't have it."

"Y-yeah, I wasn't sure it was your jacket until I got home and checked that it was."

"It's not that hard to identify," Naruto said skeptically. "Not many people wear bright orange jackets around here."

"Well, yeah. Sorry for following you…I just wanted to tell you that I have it since I saw you at the restaurant."

Naruto's lips creased upward, showing his teeth. His suspicion and apprehension were gone. "Sorry for throwing you against the wall like that."

Gaara responded with a friendly smile, hoping it would not look awkward since he rarely smiled to anyone.

"So, where is it now?"

Gaara's smile was replaced by a perplex expression, until he realized what he was talking about. His introspective self had already began to drown itself in his own mind and had temporarily detached from reality. "Oh, uh, I don't have it with me." He paused. '_That's obvious,' _he pointed out to himself. "It's at home."

"Can I come by to pick it up?" Naruto's mesmerizing eyes stared sincerely into his own. '_Did he want to come over? Or is it just for his clothing?'_

"Sure!" Gaara said, although he realized that he may have showed too much happiness for him to be categorized as weird. "But, I need to take care of something first," he admitted when he thought about the two siblings he originally intended to spend the day with.

Naruto gave a friendly nod and handed him a black ink pen from his pocket. "I'll need your address," he explained when he received the blank expression.

He hesitated. "Where…do I write it on?"

Naruto reached out with his right hand as if to grab something, but he allowed it to hang limply in the space between the two. "On my hand, unless you have a piece of paper." Gaara shook his head and gradually placed the left palm of his own under the outstretched hand, supporting it. The warm, soft touch made his heart speed increase dramatically. An odd warmth caressed his cheeks as the redness developed. Gaara slowly inscribed his own address with his right hand, ignoring his blush. The black ink trailed gracefully over the tender skin, numbers and letters appearing as he concentrated on his care so he would not puncture the angelic surface. It was a disappointment when he was done, and he had to allow the breathtaking touch to dissipate. He looked up at the other boy and although he was patient enough not to say anything, Gaara could tell that he had taken an uncanny length of time to write out the one line imprinted onto Naruto's hand.

"I'll see you later today then," Gaara said hastily before he could be questioned. Naruto nodded and he walked away, leaving Gaara alone to replay all the events that had just happened. '_Why was I so nervous around him? Is this more than just appreciation?' _He left the unanswerable questions linger as his mind wandered somewhere else. '_Guess I better say goodbye to Temari and Kankuro.'_

He started walking the way he had came from when a realization came upon him. He looked back at the street where the two boys had just spoken not too long ago. '_Can our meeting later be considered a date?'_ Gaara smiled enthusiastically at his interpretation. '_A date.'_


	3. The Unofficial Date

I am terribly sorry for such inconsistant updates. It's been eight months ! Blame graduation and university preparation. I think I've lost my talent for writing as well after all that time. Nonetheless, I have finished this chapter. I read it over once and thought it was okay so I hope it isn't too bad. The next chapter will _definitely_ be up before the end of August. You have my word.

**Chapter Three: The Unofficial Date**

Gaara wafted in the pungent scent of the building as the wooden doors opened again. His spotted his siblings effortlessly as he scanned the room. The two looked up when Gaara approached the table, remaining on his feet rather than continuing the celebration. He could see the confusion in their expressions as to why he remained standing, and let out a heavy sigh.

"Let me guess, you're ditching us again?" Temari did not look impressed.

"Something came up," rebuked Gaara, not knowing what else to say. He had never felt so eager to go somewhere before.

"Of course something came up," she said sarcastically. "Whatever, just go. It's not like anything we say is going to keep you here, seeing as you already made up your mind."

"I-I'm Sorry!" Gaara exclaimed as he rushed out of the building.

"He said sorry," Kankuro exclaimed, a sense of unbelief overcoming the two.

'_Something is definitely wrong with me. I'm doing things I wouldn't normally have done.'_ Gaara half jogged the trail home. For once, he wished he did not live in such a remote area, far away from the city, but the thought of the other boy and himself being alone in a place where people did not visit sparked interest inside him. '_I can't be in love, can I?'_

The house seemed isolated and lonely, emitting an almost plaintive feeling when someone approaches it. It was apparent that Naruto had not arrived yet. Gaara's mind flourished with ideas of preparation. The dusty yet comfortable smell enveloped him as he opened the door. It was definitely a peculiarly individual smell that belonged to the home, quite a contrast from the pungent aroma of grilled and cooked food. Afraid of making an unsatisfactory impression, the boy lit a gamut of scented candles. The different smell flowed and intertwined with one another, weighing down the air pleasantly but uniquely.

Gaara disregarded the coughing reflex accompanied the new scent, and scanned the area, satisfied. He couldn't help but pace around, forming words, phrases, and soon even sentences in his mind. Despite his hard work, a simple knock on his door shattered his well created speech into a cloud of gibberish. He treaded slowly towards the front door. For once, the door slid silently open. The other boy was in a midst of a second knock, but the sudden change in matter caused him to stumble forward. Gaara, following his reflexes, held his arms out and stabilized Naruto. The pair of blue eyes looked upwards, and they held their gaze. Gaara could feel his heart pounding as the warmth of another body rested on him. He was left almost breathless as a second went by. Yet, even in the minimal time frame, he could feel a sense of connection between Naruto and himself. It was such a different feeling. He was no longer content with just himself, but he felt the need of this warmth by him. Gaara started to blush, embarrassed by the increasing volume in his chest, and he dropped his arms as Naruto stood upright.

"Uh, thanks," Naruto grinned, as if that second of their intense greeting did not affect him. Gaara remained quiet and smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to respond with. They stood there, silence enveloping the atmosphere. It was an uncomfortable pause to the both of them.

"So, you said you had my jacket?" Naruto asked, bringing Gaara back to reality.

"Huh? Oh right." Gaara stopped himself from walking away when he realized he had still not invited Naruto in. "Would you like to come in?" he said sheepishly. It sounded so corny to him but he gave a friendly smile anyway. '_This is not my character. I have never acted this strangely, ever. I don't think I can even recognize myself anymore.' _ He thought about this again and as if having a conversation with himself, the thought '_maybe I don't want to be my old self' _ran through his mind.

The stairs squeaked on his way up, making him regret not bringing the jacket down. It was still sitting neatly on his bed as if it was waiting patiently for something interesting to happen. Gaara picked it up gently, trailing his fingers across it. The smooth feeling of the fabric tingled his fingertips, tickling it slightly. His one way card to happiness was in his hands, and he was about to put it to use. '_My life if loneliness has to end.' _A picture of himself smiling flashed through his mind. '_That's who I want to be.'_

"Why is your house so decorated? It smells quite nice too." Naruto gazed at the scented candles, their flames licking mildly in the air. "Were you expecting someone later? Who's the special girl?"

'_It's not a girl. It's a boy, a blond boy who this jacket belongs to,' _Gaara wanted to say. His chest was tingling with unease. "No, no, it's not like that. I just thought this house needed some warming up to accept company." He looked at Naruto suggestively.

"Oh, well, it's cozy in here. Don't you get lonely though? I mean, it is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I had to walk past a lot of emptiness to get here. I thought I had the wrong place too."

"Well, sometimes. Maybe you can come over more." The boy looked hopeful. "You know, since you find it cozy and I find it kind of lonely..." Gaara trailed off as his sentences began to deform itself. He felt his cheeks warming up. In desperation, he shoved the orange jacket in front of the other boy, trying to distract him from the blush.

"Yeah, sure!" Naruto grinned, completely oblivious to the situation. He accepted his possession casually and thanked Gaara. "Are you sure you're not expecting anyone?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. You're...the first person outside my family who's been in here."

"What, really?!" The younger boy exclaimed, baffled at the statement. He eyed Gaara almost pitifully who did not return the gaze. "Hey, tell you what. Since you're really not expecting anyone, and since you returned my jacket back, I'll treat you to dinner. Ah, I usually get others to treat me but well, I think you deserve it. I feel special being the first person in here. What do you say?"

"Uh...um...yeah, okay," stuttered the boy.

Naruto laughed jokingly. "You sound like Hinata. She talks just like you sometimes, especially when talking to me. Maybe I have some sort of effect on you both?" He grinned while unknowingly causing the tint of pink in Gaara's cheeks to become much more prominent.

The small store was barely visible; it tucked itself in between two larger buildings. Gaara would have completely missed it had it not been for Naruto's guidance. That, and the noticeable smell of soup stock. Naruto greeted the shopkeeper casually and sat down. The shop was basically a kitchen, with a counter where customers sit in a line, facing the kitchen area. A large pot of simmering soup was visible from where they sat. The young girl turned and smiled at them before turning back to tend the boiling water filled with cooked noodles. The aroma of the delicious soup filled the air, accompanied by the hints of spices, herbs, and citrus garnishes that perfected each meal. It was a mouth watering sensation.

"Alright, the usual please! One for my friend here as well," shouted Naruto, excited.

"Coming up," the girl replied, getting right to work.

"This place has the best ramen you will ever taste," Naruto said to Gaara as they waited. Gaara looked at the ecstatic boy. His bright blue eyes radiated with happiness. The pleasure of such simplicities. He could feel a tingling inside himself as well. '_This is just like a date.'_ The sides of his mouth stretched upwards, forming a genuine smile.

"Here you go, enjoy," the young girl said as she placed two steaming bowls of ramen noodles in front of the boys. The scent was unyielding now; it jumped and danced within radius of their noses, filling each cavity with the sample of slowly diffused herbs melded with the flavour of the broth. The fresh herbs that topped each bowl intertwined with the cooked ones, creating such a wondrous smell. It was drawing the boys in; their tongues began to crave the pleasure the nose experienced.

Naruto did not hesitate. The overwhelming sensation was natural to him, and he did not dwell on it. The slurping sound was instinctive and Gaara followed suit, but he ate slowly, cautious to not burn his tongue. The other boy was mesmerized by the taste which Gaara took towards his advantage. He stole glances towards the carefree boy, captivated by his cuteness.

The red head sipped the last of his soup, gulping it down politely. He set his bowl aside, and smiled as he compared his one with the other boy's five. It was definitely a show to see someone capable of eating that many servings. But it was Naruto, and he wasn't afraid of showing what he really was like.

"Ah, I'm so full!" A gasp came from the young boy as he relaxed onto the counter, resting his head in his arms.

"Well, that's not really much of a surprise seeing how much you ate," replied his company as he watched his cheery friend suppress a hiccup.

Naruto did not keep his head down for long. A voice echoed from the distance, calling Naruto's name. "Oy, Naruto!" The owner of the voice seemed to bark at them as he jogged closer, his footsteps rhythmically tapping against the pavement. The boy had short, ruffled brown hair. He had an oval shape to his head and a red fang like shape was symmetrically applied on each cheek. His eyes had the ability to pierce the soul, but somehow, they also had the ability to look friendly.

"Hey Kiba, what's up?" Naruto responded as he recognized the boy. "Oh, this is Gaara by the way," he gestured the red headed boy. Kiba's expression altered slightly, but he kept his composure.

"Oh hi," Kiba said, still carrying the look of unease. Gaara was not used to greetings. He remained silent and just looked at Kiba with his regular straight face. Somehow, the thought of saying hi so casually seemed odd to him. Thankfully, the other boy did not notice much and continued the conversation with his friend. "Thanks for the help the other day," Kiba grinned at Naruto appreciatively.

"Yeah, of course, no problem," Naruto grinned, "you should treat me to ramen next time. Too bad I'm too full now to eat more."

"Ah, well, I guess I won't bother you two. I was just on my way home. I'll see you guys later. I shouldn't leave Akamaru at home for too long." Kiba waved as he turned and walked off.

"What do you want to do now?" Naruto asked when it was just the two of them again. Gaara was clueless. He never found interest in a friend before. He was accustomed to spending time alone and thinking to himself. As he reminisced about his recent past, the idea blossomed, making him eager to pull his imagination into reality.

"Let's go," Gaara said and got up to leave.

"Where are we going?" Naruto called after him while frantically paying for the meal. All he got was a grin.

They trudged along the uneven dirt road, conversing about life. Gaara mostly listened to the other boy's words as he went on about ramen or other insignificant things. He was fascinated by the words, taking it all in while admiring the tone of the voice. The sound of a companion filled his body with warmth and happiness. It abruptly stopped when the isolated house came into view.

"Oh, we're back at your house now," Naruto said, changing the subject. He continued ahead, walking towards the front door.

"We're not going in." He gestured for Naruto to follow him, confusing the boy even more. A perplexed expression formed on Naruto's face, but he followed Gaara. They walked along the side of the house, and continued further, their footsteps muffled by the grass underneath.

"Here," Gaara said, stopping abruptly.

"What are we doing here? It's just an empty plain."

Gaara smiled and lay down, folding his arms behind his head. "Come on," he said, pulling Naruto down with him. The other boy looked puzzled but he followed the actions of his friend. "Look up."

Naruto looked upwards. The sky had begun to dim as dusk swept across the endless borders. Specks of luminescence bloomed and settled into place until the light stretched through the vast emptiness.

"I always come here and just think whenever I need something to do. It's quiet and serene. And if I'm lucky, I would be able to see the amazing transition between early evening to night, the stars becoming visible, just like what you saw now." This was the first time Gaara had shared this with anyone and he felt good about it.

The bemused Naruto was amazed. "Wow, I've never stopped and looked up like that."

"That's not all," Gaara continued. He pointed upwards, almost directly above them. "See those stars right there? The uppermost visible star connects diagonally downwards," he drew the invisible image with his finger, "and comes back upwards to the right. A similar thing happens below that, with that star there." He followed the lines of the star, showing Naruto what he was talking about. "And finally, in between those two lines, there's one that joins them together vertically."

"Why is that star so important?" Naruto asked curious.

"It resembles togetherness, like us."

"How?"

"Well, I'm the top and you're the bottom. The line in the middle is the one that connects us both."

Naruto laughed, "Really? It looks more like a guy leaping or something."

Gaara mimicked the other boy. "Yeah, I kind of just made all that up. I don't really know what that star really means." He turned towards the other boy who lay beside him. '_This is the perfect date.'_ The cold air was pirouetting around the two boys, but they could feel each other's warmth, making the cold night seem less harsh.

"So, are we just going to stay here all night?" Naruto asked. "It's not as if I have anything better to do. I'm just curious."

"Let's just stay for a while. It's really nice out here."

They continued to stare upwards, looking up at the night sky, and chatting about the random interests of life. It was a new experience to both of the boys. At some point there was silence, their voices dissipating into the night. Gaara relaxed at this point, making himself comfortable. He did not want this day to end and he knew that he should not fall asleep out here but he felt oddly pleasant where he was. He closed his eyes and drifted off beside the boy that stole his heart.

**A/N:** The star reference used in this chapter is from the constellation Lepus. It is Latin for hare. All interpretations of the meaning of this star are entirely fictional, and I am not providing any false information. I just wanted to let you guys know.


	4. Truth

Here's the next chapter like I promised. I don't know when the next chapter will be up; school is starting soon and I'm not sure when I will have time to write. I'll try to get it up soon though.

**Chapter Four: Truth**

The brilliant glow crept through the gaping holes of the blinds, softening the air with a basin of light. Darkness retreated and obediently attached themselves to objects creating the dim shadows that escaped the radiance. The warmth touched and livened the still night air, signifying the arrival of dawn. The sounds of birds calling as they flutter to and from echoed in the distant trees that surrounded the area. The scent of the breeze seemed to strengthen as the luminescence expanded.

A cushion enveloped the young male and softened the area of his body. His weight caused a decrease below him, snuggling him comfortably where he lay. The brightness reddened his vision as he awoke with his eyes still tightly sealed. He instinctively turned away from the source of light causing a light shuffling noise. His bare skin grazed the tenderly rough surface of his covers as his body turned away. He remained snugly in his mattress, irritated by nature's early alarm clock.

Frustrated, he sat up and rubbed his eyes while they adjusted to the lighting. The familiar setting registered in his mind when he looked around. The simple, clean, and what appeared to be an uninhabited space surrounded him. It was definitely his room. The bedroom door was left widely open, as if someone had left recently. '_Why am I here? Didn't I fall asleep at the field again?'_ A puzzled look appeared on the boy's slender face. He ran his fingers through his morning red hair. '_Did Naruto bring me back here?' _A smile replaced his confused expression. He felt warmer than the sun's rays that penetrated into his room.

He made his bed after he got up, habitually removing any evidence of his sleep there, and he began to re-enact his morning routine. He trudged into his washroom with his eyes still heavy with sleep. The bristle of his toothbrush massaged his teeth, foaming a mint flavour in his mouth. As he finished his lower back jaw, a playful thud could be heard downstairs. Gaara blinked, dispelling the exhaustion from his consciousness. He quickly rinsed his mouth and exited the washroom. The sound repeated itself and it was recognizably a knock on his dense door. The stairs squeaked with unease as the boy hurried down it. A voice was muffled behind the barrier calling Gaara's name. It brought excitement to the boy as the voice was familiar to him.

It was hard to mistaken the fact that it was Naruto standing outside the house. His blue eyes tinged with friendliness as Gaara exposed himself to the outside.

"Hey, you are here!" Naruto exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Where else would I be?" Gaara said teasingly.

"Um, I don't know. Anyways, I bought breakfast from a nearby shop. I know it's not really anything worth looking forward to but it was the closest shop to your house." Naruto handed him a plastic bag and followed Gaara inside.

"Plain buns?" Gaara chuckled. He smiled. "Thanks."

Gaara was pulsing with happiness. He had never felt so genuinely loved. He was addicted to this boy and all the pleasures he was receiving. They ate cheerfully together just enjoying each other's company without much of a care in the world. The last bun was swallowed with a cough. The dry, bland lump called for the accompaniment of water. The boys laughed as they both had to force their last bite down.

"So, what are we doing today?" Gaara asked as the garbage was tossed away.

"I actually just dropped by for breakfast because I was nearby. I have work later on. That old grandma always makes me do too much work."

"You work? I didn't know that."

"Yeah, I run errands for people. You know, help the needy."

"Ah well, I guess maybe next time then." Gaara's heart deflated as his expectations of spending the day with Naruto dissipated like steam into air. He unwillingly watched the boy leave and closed the door behind him. He dragged himself back to the kitchen table and sat down, sulking.

The knock on the door adverted his attention back to reality. '_Was Naruto just kidding? Did he come back?'_ Gaara thought hopefully. He forcefully pulled the door open. "Naru...to?" His voice escalated on the last syllable, ending his word in a question sense. The boy that stood in front of Gaara did not resemble Naruto. His ruffled brown hair complemented his facial features. His thin yet toned body stood proudly upright. He had a unique but handsome face. Gaara instantly recollected the familiar boy.

"Aren't you Kiba?" Gaara asked, confused as to why he was here. "If you're looking for Naruto, he isn't here."

"That's good. And no, I'm not looking for Naruto. I saw him leave already." He seemed to bark his words with confidence. His eyes were not the friendly ones that Gaara saw the first time. It had a hint of furiousness to them. It made the boy seem agitated.

"Why are you here then?" Gaara began to feel that the boy was not happy. His tone also hardened up and he spoke now as his past self, cold and unfriendly.

Kiba eased his expression to reduce the tension that was building up. "Sorry, I didn't mean to start off with so forcefully. I'm just really irritated by something right now. We met yesterday and I just thought you seemed like someone I can talk to."

Gaara was not too convinced. He recalled their meeting and he did think he came out as the talkative type. Ignoring someone's greeting usually meant something other than friendly. But nonetheless, he responded less harshly. "I don't know how you would assume that but, I guess since you're Naruto's friend, I can try to be helpful. I'm not really good at conversations though."

"That's okay. I just need someone to listen. I don't think I know anyone that would be a better listener than you." Kiba entered the house as Gaara walked inside. The boys sat across from each other at the table. There was an awkward silence as the two settled down.

"Did you want something to drink?" Gaara asked uneasily. Kiba's shrug of an answer was responded with a cup of steaming green tea. "So, you wanted to say something?"

"I," Kiba hesitated, "like someone." There was a pause after he finished.

Gaara did not know how to respond to the statement. He looked ahead at the now nervous boy, waiting for him to continue. When the feedback was silence, he questioned the boy. "Ok, tell me about her. You need to get it out right? I think saying it all would make you feel better."

"It's not a girl. The person I'm in love with is a guy." Kiba said unfazed by his own statement. He seemed to know that Gaara would not care whatsoever as he kept his gaze. "But that's not the point. It's been terribly frustrating. I've been in love with this guy for the longest time, yet, I'm never anything important to him. I've always noticed his slender, beautiful face and his unorganized yet suitable hair. His personality is one that compels me towards him. Lately, he's always been on my mind. But even with all this passion, all the things I do go unnoticed. I take care of him and look after him but, it does nothing. I also think that he likes someone else, which is absolutely unfair. Why would he like someone else when I've done so much?" Kiba's explanation faded to quietness. He took a sip of his tea, feeling the rush of warmth cleanse his throat. "That's pretty much it," The boy said, finishing his speech.

"Well," Gaara started, not entirely sure what he was saying, "did you tell him about how you feel? I mean, he might have the same feelings if you told him."

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure I would get kicked out of his house." Kiba looked steadily at the other boy, waiting for his reaction.

"What do you mean?" Gaara questioned, confused. But the realization overwhelmed his anticipation. He did not expect the knowledge that came to him when those words made sense in his head. "What? By that you mean...the boy that you're talking about, it's me?" Gaara was unable to keep his straight face. "You're kidding right? I mean, you said you loved this person for the longest time. I haven't even known you that long."

"Everything I've said is true. I've known you for a while though. I saw you in town every now and then. You just somehow attracted my attention. You have something about you that calls for me. It's hard to explain. Maybe it's because of your subtle self. It makes me want to get to know you better and be the person to make you smile." Kiba did not hesitate anymore. The truth was out and all he could do was offer his words in hopes to help make sense of this to the other boy.

"What about the part when you said that you've done so much for him? I don't recall you ever doing anything for me."

"But I have. You just misunderstood all the things I've done. Remember the jacket that you awoke with the other night? I put that on you."

"What? That's impossible. It's not even your jacket. This doesn't even make sense." Gaara was pacing around now, completely baffled by this information.

"I had Naruto's jacket at the time. I asked him to help me with something. Akamaru, my dog, was hurt so I needed Naruto's help to take care of him while I went to find someone to help him. He had to leave early. I didn't even get to treat him to ramen like I promised after, something to do with work or something. Anyways, he left his jacket with me. I found out a little later so I visited his workplace hoping to find him there. His boss Tsunade told me that he was on an errand to find a lost cat somewhere north of your region. But I never made it to him. Instead, I found someone asleep on the meadow, his pleasant expression was one I recognized to be yours. I did not want you to catch a cold so I just left the jacket with you. Naruto asked for his jacket so I told him where I left it."

The puzzles were connecting itself. Gaara's mind flashed to Naruto's first appearance. "'Erm…I'm looking for my jacket,' the boy had said. 'My jacket was left here last night.'" The words meant something different now.

"That's not it. You have a bad habit of sleeping outside don't you? I had to carry you away from Naruto last night, back to your house. Luckily I found your keys in your pocket."

"What? You carried me back? But I thought it was Naruto who did." Gaara was not pleased with this information.

"Didn't you find it weird how he didn't spend the night then? He's not known to be the kind of person to walk all the way home. He's quite the lazy person."

"He knocked on my door with breakfast though. He could have just gotten some then."

Kiba shrugged. "He probably got some because he wanted to check up on you and decided to bring breakfast in case you were home. I don't know."

"Wait, how did you know where we were last night?"

"I couldn't stand seeing you and Naruto spending time together. I was curious to see what you guys were up to."

"So you followed us?" Gaara did not sound pleased. He scowled at Kiba, not knowing what else to say. He did not want to believe the boy but, everything was making so much sense. This was not a story that can be fabricated so easily. All the information was accurate with Gaara's memory, whereas the others filled in the gaps perfectly.

"I know, it's wrong but, I just couldn't stand the sight of you two together. I love you Gaara." Kiba got up from his seat and inched closer to the boy. Gaara eyed him suspiciously, not knowing how to react. The boys were soon in front of each other. Gaara could hear Kiba's fluctuating heartbeat. '_This is the true person who appreciated me. It wasn't Naruto.'_ Gaara thought to himself as the other boy leaned towards him. Their lips touched as Kiba pushed himself forward. The softness of flesh was felt by the both of them. The brown haired boy had immense passion. It powered his lips against his love, taking his breath away. Kiba's tongue gently pushed forward, demanding entry.

'_It wasn't Naruto who did those things...but, it's Naruto who I love.'_

Gaara pushed the other boy off him, his breath heavy, tasting the fresh air. As his lungs settled, he brought his gaze up to Kiba. He looked into the hopeful, yet pained eyes of the boy. "I'm sorry, you're not the one I love."

Kiba's expression tensed up and his eyes strained. "But, I was the one who did all those. Why do you love him?"

"It's not something I can control. It just isn't you and there's nothing I can do about it to change my feelings."

"I can't believe this." Kiba's eyes sharpened. It seemed to glower with ferocity. "No...you _will_ be with me." Kiba gripped Gaara's shoulders and impetuously pushed him towards the wall. Their lips touched again, this time with much more force. Gaara struggled against the pressure the boy was putting on him but it showed no sign of help. His free right arm felt around blindly for something useful. His fingertips grazed against a sleek, metal handle on the kitchen counter. He paused for a brief, immeasurable moment, before making the decision. He raised his hand slightly, as much as he could, knife tightly in his possession.

A/N: A little cliff-hanger? Anyways, I know Kiba/Gaara is a weird couple but they're two of my favourite characters so, I had to do something with the two. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	5. Closure

**Chapter 5: Closure**

The clean white interior that was supposed to be pleasing to the eye were clawing into the conscience of the young red-headed boy. The friendly nurses, the busy doctors, and the sight of recovering patients getting better or getting worse all forced a wave of guilt into Gaara. He fidgeted constantly, running his hands through his unwashed hair, looking about with anxiety filled eyes. He sighed, looking slightly to the left to a closed door for resting patients. It was a temporary room with many beds for the injured to stay, meaning that it was not a serious wound. But nonetheless, the commotion and everything that led up to where he was at and the consequences of it all overwhelmed the boy. There was one main factor that he could not get out of his mind: 'What's Naruto going to think of me now?'

As he replayed the events in his mind again, Naruto stepped out of the room, and glanced towards Gaara. It was a look filled with mixed emotions, and it was impossible to pick out exactly what his expression was. Anger, contempt, sadness – a tinge of everything mixed together, fostering a new feeling of uneasiness in Gaara. He looked back with curious eyes as to what Naruto was thinking. Gaara opened his mouth to ask how the situation was, but Naruto turned away to a voice from inside the room. He turned around after a pause, and went back inside. The defeated Gaara collapsed back down to the side bench in the hallway, unable to come up with a solution to this newly created barrier.

His eyes found its way to the door again. He looked at it pleadingly, mentally asking it to spit Naruto out again back to him, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. Gaara got up and approached the door apprehensively, questioning his every step. He didn't know how Naruto would react to his presence. A hospital trip due partly to his own recklessness was not going to win Naruto over. Forgetting all the bad scenarios he thought up in the short walk across, he opened the door. In the back corner by the window, Kiba was sitting upwards with his legs hanging off the edge of the bed. His pants were rolled up just past his ankles. The white bandage could be seen clearly from Gaara's distance at the door.

At first they did not notice him, as the room was used by two other patients, they didn't take much notice of someone entering. Gaara walked up to them and Naruto seemed to be at a loss of words.

"I," Gaara paused and looked towards Kiba, "thought I need to say sorry to what I did. It's really unfortunate what happened."

"I can't say that I can forgive you so easily," Kiba replied, looking away.

Gaara got a better look at the bandaged foot. It didn't look too serious, although blood was still soaking a bit of the bandage where the wound was. Gaara was slightly surprised at his response, although he kept it to himself. He thought about how Kiba had confessed his love to him, and how it was his fault that Gaara reacted that way, and not forgiving him wouldn't work too well to win someone over. Although Gaara knew he was responsible for the hospital visit, he wasn't expecting such a harsh response to his apology. But he didn't care. He looked at Naruto, hoping for a forgiving smile, a hug to tell him everything is okay, or just softer expression. But, it never came.

"Gaara, I think it's best if you go home for now." Naruto said, a distaste obvious in his voice.

The words caught the red hair off guard. A numbing chill wringed his body of any hope or happiness.

"Wh…why?" Gaara asked tentatively confused at the situation. "I didn't mean to hurt him, and I apologized for the accident."

"Sorry Gaara, this isn't the best time for this. Can you just leave for now?" Naruto stated firmly and looked almost pleadingly towards him.

Defeated, and at a loss of words, Gaara turned away, dragging himself lifelessly out of the hospital. Everything was so confusing. He couldn't understand why Naruto was reacting that way. Finding it impossible to answer the plethora of questions that dominated his mind, he started running in a quick sprint, away from the hospital, away from his troubles, back to his own world. 'I don't need this pain. Why doesn't anything work out for me?'

He slammed his door shut beside him, only to see the very place where everything started. He could still feel the weight of the other boy pushing against him over by the wall. He remembered the feeling of trying to struggle free, of not being able to do anything. He remembered the cold, icy touch of the knife handle and how he grasped it for a just a second. There was also the intent – the deep inhumane intent of hurting Kiba. 'How dare me barge in here and force himself on me,' Gaara had thought. But it was just the thought and he knew he couldn't act upon it.

Gaara released the blade once he realized how far his mind had gone. Kiba was still close to him. Their lips had moved apart, and they could hear each other breathing heavily.

"I want you," Kiba had said, before he reached his hands to unbutton Gaara's pants, unzipping it in a swift motion. Surprised, Gaara pulled his hands inwards to stop the boy, forgetting where his hands were. The knife on the counter was knocked off and within seconds there was a cry of pain from Kiba. Cleanly, gravity sent the sharp end straight through his foot where it plunged through the wooden flooring. Blood oozed from the wound, soaking the white sock as well as creating a visible puddle underneath.

"God damn it," Gaara had spurted out, reaching for paper towels he began to pressure the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "You need to get to a hospital."

And so, the call was made. Although in afterthought, an ambulance may have been too much, but Gaara still remembered the amount of blood that was lost and he also didn't have a faster way of transportation. As he recalled the events, he sighed in disbelief at how incapable he was in handling the situation appropriately.

"Whatever," he said to himself, forcing himself to forget the entire incident. He trudged upstairs and crawled into his bed, although, it was another three hours more of thinking before his body finally gave in and allowed him to escape away from reality into a dreamless sleep.

Gaara stirred in his bed as dawn peaked in. He had slept the entire evening and throughout the night. His stomach growled as he turned to look at the time, surprised at the length of his rest. Grudgingly, he forced himself to sit up, yawning while he rubbed his eyes open. The sun was already blindingly bright at dawn, enough to cause Gaara to have to squint at the window. "Stupid Naruto, why do you have to make me feel miserable in this nice weather."

Gaara's morning coffee did little to wake him up. He remained in a trance evoked from thoughts of Naruto, repeating mostly of his thoughts from the previous day. It was an endless exercise in his mind – an inescapable additive to his waking life. He was staring at his half drank coffee cup, which was lukewarm by now, when his repetitive thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door.

Curious to see who the unexpected visitor was, he opened a small crack and peered outside. Temari stood outside impatiently, looking all sisterly at Gaara. She looked at him, as if expecting him to say something, but he just turned around and went back inside.

"Well hello to you too," Temari remarked at his attitude. "So I just met Naruto outside the house just now-"

"Naruto? What? Where? Why?" Gaara looked up, eyes widened. His heart was beating faster in his chest and emotions rushed through him. He made an effort to walk past his sister to see for himself but she stopped him before he took a step.

"I was kidding." She said with a slight understanding smile.

"What?" Gaara glared at her with an anger building in his eyes. "Don't play around with me."

"Now I know for sure," she said, unfazed by his threat. Gaara remained stiff, looking at her. She sighed, and answered the confused boy. "I saw you following that boy out of the restaurant." Gaara's eyebrows creased stressfully as she continued. "I also did meet Naruto later that evening. I was coming up to your house late at night, to find out exactly why you left us when we dropped everything to spend the day together with you. There's really only one path to your house, and that Naruto kid was obviously coming from your house. And the thing I noticed immediately was that he was wearing the very jacket that I found in your room the morning I came over. All it took was to connect the dots and well, it's pretty self-explanatory."

Gaara remained silent, looking into his sister's eyes before letting out a deep sigh. "Yes. I've been confused myself but I have to admit, I...I love Naruto. It's a feeling that I've never felt before. Pain and happiness – they're so intertwined in love it's hard to distinguish sometimes." Gaara turned a slight pink as he confessed his love to another boy to Temari.

"Well, you're just restating what I already figured out. The important part is, why do you look so depressed? Usually you have no emotion but, now it's just sadness that I see."

"I'm not so sure myself," Gaara responded. He explained the perplexed situation and let the question of why an accident has turned Naruto to feel negatively towards Gaara become evident by itself.'

"So, you accidentally hurt someone and he had to go to a hospital and you didn't call me at all? More importantly, that pervert tried to molest you in some fit of angry love rage and you didn't say anything at all until now?" Temari crossed her arm and looked away, fuming. She took deep breaths to try to contain her growing anger while processing the situation. "Let's go."

"Where?" Gaara looked up at her, wondering where she could possibly mean.

"To explain things clearly! How can I just do nothing and hope that everything will work out. Where do you think he is right now?" Temari didn't wait for a reply. She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him outside. "Lead me there."

Gaara made little effort in resisting, as he wanted to demand answers as well. At the same time, he felt uneasy. He didn't know what to expect and he wasn't ready for terrible news. When they were far enough from his house, Temari let go and allowed him to walk on his own.

"I really don't know where he lives though or where he is," Gaara said disappointingly.

Temari had calmed down by now. She sighed and sat down on a nearby bench. Gaara, for once, stopped and admired the noise of children running around, of people doing their market shopping, of birds soaring above them in the beautiful blue sky. For a minute he forgot his problems, and looked at his world around him.

"Why would anyone want ramen in this hot weather?" Temari remarked idly as she noticed the relatively busy ramen shop. Gaara's minute from reality was broken by her comment and he looked up to see the very store he had eaten in with Naruto.

He got up and headed over there, Temari's eyes following him curiously. "Hey, Naruto's friend! Couldn't stay away from my delicious ramen?" The shopkeeper exclaimed as he approached.

"You remember me?" Gaara asked, surprised.

"Naruto's my biggest customer, so naturally I would remember you."

"Ah," Gaara paused momentarily, "you wouldn't happen to know where Naruto is would you?"

"Naruto? Why don't you call him yourself? Anyways, he was with that boy Kiba here not too long ago. They said something about going over to his house."

"To Kiba's house?"

"That's what I heard. Want some hot steaming noodles?"

Gaara forced a small smile before declining. He thanked the man and walked back sullenly to his sister.

"What could they be doing at his house?" Gaara exclaimed, running his hands through his hair.

"Probably nothing," Temari comforted him, "didn't you say that he tried to, well, molest you? Why would he do anything with Naruto."

"Revenge? To take Naruto from me? I don't know!"

"I know you're in pain, but it's actually nice to see you show some emotion," Temari smirked, receiving a glare from Gaara.

"Thanks, you're so much help."

"Let's go pay them a visit, and settle your uneasiness."

"No, I don't think that's a good idea. Do you know where he lives anyways?"

Temari reached into her pocket and brought out a white, thin cell phone. Moments later, after waiting for the other line to ring, a man's voice spoke back to her. "Hi, Shikamaru? Do you have Kiba's address?" There was a pause before she continued. "No, I don't have personal business there. It has more to do with my brother." Moments later, she hung up and noticed Gaara staring at her, his eyebrows raised.

"Now's not the time to worry about my love life. Anyways, he said that he was a classmate of Kiba's and well, if Kiba lives in the same place, then the address he gave me should be where he lives. Let's go!"

Hesitantly, Garaa followed the eager Temari. He wasn't exactly looking forward to the possible bad news that may come, but he still wanted to clear things up with Naruto.

The house was old and neglected. The paint job looked like it had been scratched away, the shingles were falling apart, and the door looked like it wasn't supported enough at the hinges. The grass was overgrown and it looked rather menacing.

"Looks like animals tore this place up over the years or something," Temari commented as they walked to the door.

The door was unlocked and was slightly open, a small gap opening to the inside allowed them to peer in as they pushed it open. Immediately they heard a dog barking as if they were intruding with a malicious intention. A boy walked out of the room to the left to see who had opened the door. He had an ice pack pressed against his right cheek and his lips were cut and bleeding.

"Kiba?" Temari asked, not expecting an answer. "You wouldn't happen to know where Naruto is would you?"

"Of course you're looking for Naruto," he said, his focus more on Gaara than the girl in front of him. "I don't know; he's not here."

"Who did that to you?" Gaara asked. Kiba already had an injured leg, and now it seemed like someone had injured him even more.

"Close the door behind you as you leave."

Although they had not run into the person they were looking for, Gaara walked out of the house cheerfully. He had a small smirk on his face. 'Naruto isn't alone with Kiba,' Gaara kept thinking to himself, his smile getting larger.

"Oh, you're such a hopeless romantic," Temari remarked when she saw Gaara's expression. "Where should we look now?"

"I think I know where he is," Gaara said, "so I guess I'll get going now."

"Wait," Temari called after him but he had already sprinted away. "What a hopeless brother I have."

Gaara's heart was pounding. He wasn't sure he was right but he was hoping that his assumption was correct for once. He felt like he was solving a detective novel and finally came to the ending. He made it home in a matter of minutes, his muscles burning as they screamed for more energy. His breathing was rapid causing him to gasp for breath to exhale the large amount of carbon dioxide that was building up. But he was still smiling to himself. After a short break, he ran past the building to the open field that he had shared with Naruto and amongst the vast landscape of uneven green, there was an orange shape near the stream of water.

"I'm guessing that you don't actually hate me do you?" Gaara said, his breathing still calming down, as he sat down beside the other boy. Naruto looked up in surprise. Their eyes met for a short period before unexpectedly Naruto lurched forward, locking lips with the red head. Naruto's body was on top of Gaara's, his left leg was in between the other boy's legs. Naruto's left hand found Gaara's and they interlocked fingers. His other hand was gently caressing the boy's face. For the first time, their tongues met and their senses tingled; they fondled each other, playing like children wrestling. Their lips were almost inseparable, besides the moments where they parted to gasp for air. It was like a dream to Gaara. The taste of Naruto was finally his, and he could tell he was addicted already.

They both smiled as they felt their pants tightened at their crotch, both rubbing against each other behind the barrier of fabric. Naruto bit Gaara's lips playfully, as he reached for his zipper and unzipped his jacket. He pulled it off and kissed the boy on the lips tauntingly before pulling his t-shirt over his head slowly, exposing his well toned body. Gaara instinctively ran his hands over Naruto's chest, feeling the smooth skin and firm muscles that lay beneath. He followed, taking off his own shirt. The cold grass tickled his back beneath him while Naruto's warm chest came into contact with his own as their lips satisfied the insatiable new craving of each other.

More dauntingly, Naruto playfully licked Gaara's bottom lip, moving down to his neck. A small kiss as he made his way lower. His hands running over bare skin, until his tongue found the sensitive nipple area. He tickled it with the tip of his tongue before running it around, following the round shape. He carefully bit the hardened tip, smiling as Gaara squirmed a bit. The cool feeling of Naruto's saliva on Gaara's chest made him tingle with excitement. Taking the initiative, Gaara moved his hands over to Naruto's waist and unbuttoned his pants. He could see the boxers that lay underneath, which looked tight with the bulge clearly showing. He pulled the pants down, and Naruto squirmed out of them. Gaara's heart was pounding as he ran his fingers over the bulge, feeling the stiffness of the entire shaft. He stroked it over the fabric making Naruto smile even brighter while he continued to play with his tongue.

Naruto proceeded to unbutton Gaara's pants, and pull it off swiftly. He smirked and stuck his hand inside Gaara's underwear, feeling the warm, stiff bulge. Naruto teased Gaara and played around with the head of his penis with a thumb, rubbing the tip and making Gaara squirm. He promptly pulled off his own underwear, along with Gaara's next, and moved back up to kiss Gaara. Fully unclothed, the boys felt each other skin to skin. As their hard members rubbed against each other, their lips and tongues continued to touch and play.

Naruto's hands soon playfully moved to their crotch, helping to rub their shafts together more forcefully. He soon took Gaara's in his hands, and began to stroke it. Gaara began to moan as a slight pink appeared in his cheeks. Naruto caressed Gaara's penis, stroking it gently before he moved down and licked the tip. His tongue moved around the head and then he began to lick the entire shaft like an ice cream cone. Gaara moaned even louder. Naruto was satisfied at Gaara's screams of pleasure, and as if rewarding him, he took the entire thing in his mouth. His tongue moved around as he pushed the entire shaft inside before releasing it. He continued to suck the stiff object until he could taste the sweetness of Gaara's precum. Naruto smiled sexily, and continued to take it in to taste the new flavor. His hands caressed Gaara's upper legs, before moving swiftly to the testicles where he fondled them as his mouth was busy tasting the boy. He began to move his mouth up and down faster, making Gaara moan even louder. Gaara squirmed as he reached his peak. He warned Naruto but the boy didn't care, and continued to engulf the penis until he could taste the entire sweet, yet salty taste of Gaara's white, creamy ejaculation. It shot right into his mouth and he swallowed it entirely. His tongue moved about trying to scrap up the last amounts and to get everything. He licked the tip continuing to give Gaara pleasure while tasting the last amounts of his fluid. Naruto moaned with pleasure as if he was enjoying a delicious meal.

Naruto, still stiff, climbed back up until he was almost sitting on Gaara's chest. His erected penis pointed at an angle towards Gaara. The long, slightly slender shaft was tempting and taunted Gaara to open his mouth and allow Naruto to move it inside. Naruto moaned loudly as Gaara returned the favor. His tongue felt a new sensation as Naruto shifted to his knees over Gaara and moved his hips forward and backward. He ran his tongue apprehensively over the ridge of the head as Naruto slowly thrusted his hips forward. As Naruto moved outwards, Gaara let his tongue slide across to the tip of his penis, playing with the opening. The boys grinned sheepishly at each other.

Naruto trailed his fingers behind him, down Gaara's chest and moving smoothly over his scrotum which caused Gaara to squirm sensitively. His fingers rested lightly on the muscular opening of the other boy's bottom, pressing gently for entry.

"Relax," he said to the red-head. He gave his partner a smile and pushed delicately, feeling the moist, softness inside. As he felt the opening stretch a bit, Naruto inserted another finger in, thrusting it in coordinately with his body.

"I want you … I want you inside me," Gaara managed to let escape with Naruto's hard member inside his mouth.

The other boy pulled out and jumped back, positioning himself behind Gaara as he lay there, stomach up, his cock already starting to become stiff again. He closed his eyes, waiting for a sensation much more intense than two fingers fill up inside him. Surprisingly however, he felt a wet movement touch his anus. He opened his eyes to find Naruto's face pressed up against his hole.

"What! No, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry," Naruto said, resuming licking the tense muscles. Gaara evidently succumbed to the pleasure of Naruto's sudden anilingus. Gaara pulled himself upwards, shifting his weight onto his left hand, while running his other hand through the boy's hair. Naruto stroked Gaara's cock as he was working his tongue, making Gaara more impatient to be penetrated.

"Fuck me already," Gaara said, pushing Naruto's head up under the chin.

Naruto shifted upwards, grinning at the boy's impatience. He obeyed, positioned his erect, wet hard on and pushed against entry way. In the beginning it gave resistance but Gaara settled back down and relaxed, allowing the Naruto to enter him. At first there was a hint of pain as the object entered inside him, stretching it against his body's will. But he wanted it, and he forced himself to relax as Naruto adjusted himself more properly. Then the blond began to move in and out, slowly at first, enough to get Gaara accustomed to the movement, but speeding up as they found their proper momentum. The feeling was different from what he had felt, from the feeling of fingers. It felt odd but at the same time it felt pleasureful. Naruto pushed all the way in, his cock feeling the warm moistness, enveloping his member and body into extreme pleasure. The boys moaned in broken unison, while Naruto rocked his body harder.

"Fuck, I'm going to come already," Naruto gasped. He pulled out as Gaara began stroking his own cock. They came messily onto Gaara's stomach, gasping and smiling as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Wow," Gaara said, registering what had just happened.

"Yeah, wow," Naruto replied. He grinned, "Let's clean up," he said playfully, dragging the other boy by the hand into the stream of water where they washed up, naked, happy, and in love.

* * *

"What happened earlier anyways?" Gaara asked Naruto as he nestled into the other boy's neck. He heard the soft beating of Naruto's heart, his chest rising slowly with every breath.

"What do you mean?" Naruto pulled the blanket to cover more of Gaara. He resumed patting the boy's head, feeling the softness of his red hair.

"After the hospital, I went to find you. You went home with Kiba."

"Oh. I was still his friend, I didn't know what was even going on. A part of me, a large part, just wanted to jump out and run away with you there, but Kiba was still my friend. I couldn't leave him when he was in the hospital."

"But you punched him in the face later? You couldn't talk with me then because he was injured but you injured him again after?"

Naruto looked at Gaara, astonished. "How did you even know about that? That, uh," he stuttered. "Whatever! That was after the fact." Naruto paused before continuing, "he told me the truth afterwards, about coming on to you. I got so angry I couldn't control myself."

"Sounds like you."

"What?!"

Gaara smiled and kissed him.

* * *

A/N: And that's that. Thanks for reading, even if this last chapter took almost four years; it would have been earlier if I hadn't accidentally deleted the first version of the chapter way before. That's all in the past though! I'm happy with how things went for the most part.


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